Brown's advisor: ‘UK population must fall to 30m'

Last week Jonathan Porritt, one of Gordon Brown's leading green advisers, is to warn that Britain must drastically reduce its population to 30m if it is to build a sustainable society. Porritt's call will come at this week's annual conference of the Optimum Population Trust (OPT), of which he is patron. The trust will release research suggesting UK population must be cut to 30m if the country wants to feed itself sustainably. Porritt said: "Population growth, plus economic growth, is putting the world under terrible pressure. Each person in Britain has far more impact on the environment than those in developing countries so cutting our population is one way to reduce that impact." Britain's population is expected to grow from 61m now to 71m by 2031. It is the eradication of capitalism and not population reduction that will help Britain sustain its burgeoning population for the foreseeable future.

Czech Cardinal: Europe is headed for a Muslim future

Cardinal Miloslav Vlk, the head of the Czech Roman Catholic Church says Europe must adopt Christian values and multiply otherwise Islam and Muslims will fill the vacuum. In the interview with a Czech publication, Vlk links the European Union's flag to Christian values. The flag consisting of twelve stars on a blue background was inspired by the Bible. He says there should be dialogue between Christians and Muslims but "in terms of culture and opinions Islam is medieval." "I do not want to sound negative... but in Islam a religion assumes the position of the state power and rules the people. Our European Christian experience proved that it is not the right way," said the Cardinal who argues that Christianity should be part of the EU constitution. He warns that Muslim population will increase considerably in Europe because of "the low fertility of Europeans the majority of whom are non-believers." The Cardinal said that "while European Muslims are living their religion, Europeans are pagans, as they do not respect their religion" and warns "if we do not restore Europe in terms of Christian values, we will surely die out."

Angola anxious about Islamic expansion

On March 31 Angop news agency reported that the Angolan Government is worried about the expansion of Islam and its consequences in the organisation and structures of the Angolan society. Addressing the deputies of the sixth commission of the National Assembly, who visited the facilities of the National Institute of Religious Studies (INAR), minister of Culture Rosa Cruz e Silva expressed concern about the growth and increase of number of followers of this religion in Angola. "Our worry has to do with the expansion of Islam and the consequences it may cause to the organisation and structure of the Angolan society", she said. In her turn, the National Institute for Religious Affairs (INAR), Fátima Viegas, said that it is in place a study to determine to what extent the Islam is ingrained in the Angolan society.

During Gaza massacre King Abdullah sends pet dog to Israel for treatment

The Jordanian royal family's dog was secretly rushed to Israel for treatment in the midst of Operation Cast Lead in Gaza, Yedioth Ahronoth reported on March 29. During the fighting in the Gaza Strip, the Jordanians called on the Israeli veterinarians for help. King Abdullah and Queen Rania's beloved dog had fallen ill. In a secret operation, the pet was transferred to the hospital in Israel in very poor condition and later died. The dog's body was returned to Jordan, along with a sincere apology from the hospital's vets for being unable to save him.

Iran wants to cooperate with America in a bid to stabilize Afghanistan

On March 31 at an international conference on Afghanistan at The Hague, in the Netherlands, the Iranian delegate, Mohammad Mehdi Akhundzadeh, responded positively to Barack Obama's new strategy for winning the war against the Taliban. Akhundzadeh said, "Welcoming the proposals for joint cooperation offered by the countries contributing to Afghanistan, the Islamic Republic of Iran is fully prepared to participate in the projects aimed at combating drug trafficking and plans in line with developing and reconstructing Afghanistan." He went on record to support aspects of Obama's strategy. He said," "The military expenses need to be redirected to the training of the Afghan police and army, and Afghanisation should lead the government-building process" - a clear reference towards the Obama administration's decision to send 4,000 more US military trainers.

Poll finds 63% Pakistanis believe US wants to divide Pakistan

A Press TV poll suggests Pakistan's political turmoil has been orchestrated by the US in an attempt to partition the nuclear-armed country. The opinion poll conducted by the Press TV website found that an overwhelming 63 percent of some 3,807 participants believe the "tension is an American scenario to partition Pakistan." A mere eighteen percent of the participants said the crisis stems from a power struggle between Pakistani politicians.

China continues to suppress its Muslim population

The official Xinhua News Agency earlier this month reported that Hotan authorities had launched a campaign against "illegal religious activity" at the end of February and "had already achieved some initial success." The News Agency said, "Officials uncovered some illegal religious activities, seized a large number of illegal books, handwritten materials, computer discs, audio tapes and other propaganda materials as well as bullets, fuses, explosive and flammable materials, and other weaponry." A secretary with Hotan's Communist Party Propaganda Department on Monday denied that any religious schools were closed, people arrested or bullets, explosives and other materials seized. But he confirmed that some illegal religious activity has been halted and illegal books, writings, computer discs and audio tapes had been confiscated. He refused to give his name or any more information and referred calls to other departments where the phone rang unanswered or officials said they were not authorized to speak to the media. The clampdown is consistent with previous efforts to target a resurgent Islam that the government says is fanning radical, violent separatism in Xinjiang. A year ago, several hundred Muslims staged a protest in Hotan that rights groups said was against a ban on women wearing headscarves but that the government said was incited by an overseas Islamic group.

On 5 April 2009, Hizb ut-Tahrir Wilayah Pakistan demonstrated in Lahore, Karachi and Islamabad  against the arrival of US Joint Chiefs of Staff Chairman, Michael Mullen, and the US Special Envoy Afghanistan and Pakistan, Richard Holbrooke. Demonstrators held placards saying "Holbrooke go home - No aid for the drones". The protestors stated that the real reason for the current wave of destabilization in Pakistan is the American presence in the region. The protest called for the Pakistan Army to give the material support (Nusrah) to Hizb ut-Tahrir for the establishment of the Khilafah "Caliphate".

Since 1999, G20 summits have taken place and formulated financial plans for the world - plans that brought crises and calamities to human beings and the world. They claim that through these summits they will save the world even thought it is inconceivable that the wolf would save its own prey! The leaders of the G20 will meet in London, the spiritual capital of Capitalism and its corporations, on Thursday 2nd April 2009. Instead of formulating a plan to rescue the world from the financial cirsis, they only devise solutions that aim to increase the wealth of the rich capitalists even if that further impoverishs the poor.

Meanwhile, Hizb ut-Tahrir, the global Islamic political party, has convened two emergency press conferences in Beirut and London on Friday 3rd April 2009, a day after the London G20 summit. At both press conferences, Hizb ut-Tahrir will launch its new book "Towards a Tranquil Safe World under the Shade of the Economic System of Islam". The book examines the global economic crisis, explains its reality, critically examines its symptoms and exposes the flaws in the solutions proposed by the flagbearers of Capitalism. The book concludes by illustrating the correct solutions to the economic crisis from Islam - solutions that are from the Creator of the universe and the Creator of mankind, who knows what is best for His creation.

"Should not He Who has created know? And He is the Most Kind and Courteous (to His slaves) All-Aware (of everything)." [TMQ Al-Mulk: 67]

At the press conferences, there will be speeches in Arabic and English outlining Hizb ut-Tahrir's solutions to the economic crisis and its response to the London G20 summit. There will be an opportunity for open discussion and debate and both press conferences will be broadcast live on the Internet.

The press conferences will take place in Beirut and London on Friday 8th Rabi` al-Akhar 1430 Hijri / 3rd April 2009

BEIRUT

10:30 a.m. Medina and Beirut time.

As-Safir Hotel, al-Rawsha, Beirut, Lebanon

LONDON

6:30 p.m. BST (8:30 p.m. Medina and Beirut time).

The London Continental Hotel, 88 Gloucester Place, London, W1U 6HR,

United Kingdom

The live Internet broadcast will be streamed on the Hizb ut-Tahrir Media Office website: www.hizb-ut-tahrir.info

It can also be followed on the following websites:

Video: http://kstreamvideo.blogspot.com/

Audio: http://kstreamaudio.blogspot.com/

For more information please contact us on:

Beirut: +961(0)3927056

 London: +44(0)7074192400

US preparing to establish internment camps for US citizens

In January a bill entitled the National Emergency Centres Establishment Act (HR 645) was introduced in the US Congress. It calls for the establishment of six national emergency centres in major regions in the US to be located on existing military installations. The stated purpose of the "national emergency centres" is to provide "temporary housing, medical, and humanitarian assistance to individuals and families dislocated due to an emergency or major disaster." In actuality, what we are dealing with are FEMA internment camps. HR 645 states that the camps can be used to "meet other appropriate needs, as determined by the Secretary of Homeland Security."There has been virtually no press coverage of HR 645. These "civilian facilities" on US military bases are to be established in cooperation with the US Military. Modelled on Guantanamo, what we are dealing with is the militarization of FEMA internment facilities. Once a person is arrested and interned in a FEMA camp located on a military base, that person would in all likelihood, under a national emergency, fall under the de facto jurisdiction of the Military: civilian justice and law enforcement including habeas corpus would no longer apply. HR 645 bears a direct relationship to the economic crisis and the likelihood of mass protests across America. It constitutes a further move to militarize civilian law enforcement, repealing the Posse Comitatus Act.

Britain cannot pay for more stimulus packages, bond auction fails

The government should not unveil any further fiscal stimulus in April's budget as Britain's public finances are already in such dire straits, Mervyn King the governor of the Bank of England warned this week. Appearing before the Treasury select committee, the Bank of England governor said: "Given how big those deficits are, I think it would be sensible to be cautious about going further in using discretionary measures to expand the size of those deficits. There is no doubt that we are facing very large fiscal deficits over the next two to three years." The news was not well received by the bond markets. Britain stood out as the sore thumb on the government bond markets on Wednesday. After Germany sold 5.7 billion euros ($7.7 billion) of five-year bonds on Wednesday, and Ireland sold 1.0 billion euros ($1.4 billion) of 10-year bonds on Tuesday, the British Treasury's 1.8 billion pound ($2.4 billion) gilt auction failed to attract sufficient interest.

Receding waters of Euphrates reveal ancient sites in Iraq

Iraq is suffering one of the worst droughts in decades. While this is bad news for farmers, it is good news for archaeologists in the country. The receding waters of the Euphrates River have revealed ancient archaeological sites, some of which were unknown until now. For Ratib Ali al-Kubaisi, the director of Anbar province's Antiquities Department, the drought has opened up a whole new land of opportunity. He explains that civilization began in Anbar, next to the Euphrates River. "Everyone ... thought that Anbar was only desert with no historical importance. But we discovered that this area is one of the most important archaeological areas in all of Iraq. This part of Iraq was the first to be settled," he says. The messenger of Allah said, "The Hour will not come to pass before the river Euphrates dries up to unveil the mountain of gold, for which people will fight. Ninety-nine out of one hundred will die [in the fighting], and every man among them will say: 'Perhaps I may be the only one to remain alive'." - [Sahih Bukhari, Sahih Muslim.]. And Allah knows best.

US advisor: Pakistan to collapse in 6 months

The Pakistani state could collapse within six months if immediate steps are not taken to remedy the situation, warned a top adviser to the US Central Command in an interview with Washington Post. David Kilcullen, who advises CENTCOM commander Gen. David H. Petraeus on the war on terror, urged US policy makers to focus their attention on Pakistan as a failure there could have devastating consequences for the entire international community. Kilcullen, who is credited with the success of the US troop surge strategy in Iraq, warned that if Pakistan went out of control, it would 'dwarf' all the crises in the world today. 'Pakistan...hands down. No doubt,' he said when asked to name the central front in the war against terror. Asked to explain why he thought Pakistan was so important, Kilcullen said: "Pakistan has 173 million people, 100 nuclear weapons, an army bigger than the US Army, and al-Qaeda headquarters sitting right there in the two-thirds of the country that the government doesn't control. Were now reaching the point where within one to six months we could see the collapse of the Pakistani state, also because of the global financial crisis, which just exacerbates all these problems. The collapse of Pakistan, al-Qaeda acquiring nuclear weapons, an extremist takeover -- that would dwarf everything we've seen in the war on terror today."

China calls for an end to the US dollar

Another skirmish in the war of words in the most important economic relationship in the world - that between the US and China - broke out Monday, as the Governor of the People's Bank of China called for reform of the IMF and the promotion of the fund's own longstanding but underused "world currency"- special drawing rights (SDR). Zhou Xiaochuan, the governor of the Chinese central bank, implicitly criticised the status of the dollar as the world's sole reserve currency. "The price is becoming increasingly high, not only for the users, but also for the issuers of the reserve currencies," Mr Zhou said. He added: "The role of the SDR has not been put into full play due to limitations on its allocation and the scope of its uses. However, it serves as the light in the tunnel for the reform of the international monetary system. The goal of reforming the international monetary system, therefore, is to create an international reserve currency that is disconnected from individual nations and is able to remain stable in the long run, thus removing the inherent deficiencies caused by using credit-based national currencies." The dispute between the two economic powers comes days after a U.N. panel announced that will recommend next week that the world ditch the dollar as its reserve currency in favour of a shared basket of currencies.